Starter Gifts: What To Buy A Man Who Is About To Take On The World

What Every Young Professional Needs To Take On The World

When a man is finally done with school it's time for him to face the real world. In order to prepare him for this unforgiving phase of his life, he needs to be properly equipped. We're not just talking about the big-ticket purchases that mark his progress from boy to man, but the little things as well. In this feature, we’ve teamed up with Citizen Watches to bring you what we consider “starter purchases” — things every man should look forward to either buying or receiving as gifts as he transitions from boyhood to life as a fully-formed adult man.

A Really Nice Suit

Michael Kors

Mom may have dressed you up in cute getups when you were a kid, but there’s something special about buying your first suit as a man. You’ll probably wear it to every semi formal event you attend throughout much of your 20s, and as such you’ll make a lot of memories wearing it. With its solid navy color and classic silhouette, this suit by Michael Kors will work for everything from job interviews to weddings at a very manageable price point.$249.99 at Macys.com

A Good Chef's Knife

Misen

You simple can’t produce a work of art without the right tools, and that’s as true in the kitchen as it is on the canvas. Cooking for yourself is by far the best way to keep your wallet fat and your waistline thin, and having a top-notch knife is every chef’s secret to making mundane prep work fly by. You can spend practically as much as you want on a knife, but the Misen chef’s knife outperforms all but the highest-end models at less than half the price.$65.00 at Misen.co

A Nice Watch

Citizen

A watch is about all the jewelry most men ever wear, so it had better count. When purchasing your first watch, you want something with classic looks, durability and a quality movement — all on a young man’s budget. At $225, the Citizen Sport fits the bill nicely.$225.00 at CitizenWatch.com

A Tool Set

Crescent

As men, we’re supposed to be able to fix things around the house (and with online tutorials, not knowing how really isn’t an excuse). But too many of us are lulled by landlords and managed apartments who fix anything on-demand — until they don’t. When that happens, you need the tools to do what you can until a professional can step in. This tool set by Crescent contains all the wrenches, sockets and drivers you’ll need to handle just about any household or automotive job.$99.99 at HomeDepot.com

A Bar Set

Godinger

Even if people don’t do much entertaining these days, it’s a sign of an accomplished man if you can serve your guests something more sophisticated than an opened beer can. Crafting cocktails is both an art and a science, and a bar set like this one has everything you need to sling drinks like a pro (and looks great on a counter or sideboard).$67.49 at Amazon.com

A Signature Scent

Montblanc

Scent is low-key one of the most powerful senses — it’s tied to memory more than any of the other four. Since you’re well past the years when dousing yourself in Drakkar counted as a shower, it’s high time you found a scent a little more subtle that you can use sparingly. Scent is very personal, of course, but we’re big fans of the manly, musky scent of Super Cedar, by Brycedo.$50.00 at Nordstrom.com

A Nice Pair of Shades

Retrosuperfuture

As a responsible adult, you should no longer be resigning yourselves to dollar store and giveaway sunglasses because you’re afraid you’ll break them or lose them at the tailgate party. Nice sunglasses, with polarized lenses and quality construction, are an investment. That’s why you’ll want to stick with classic designs that go as well with a suit as they do a ballcap. The America Bruno Munari by Retrosuperfuture, are a fresh take on the classic wayfarer design.$206.37 at RetroSuperFuture.com

A Big Screen TV

VIZIO

The inevitable forward march of technology means that widescreen TVs are no longer luxury items only accessible to the rich and famous. With everything else in your life coming together, there’s simply no excuse for watching today’s incredible TV series and major sporting events on something that looks like it came out of the '90s, or could be confused with an iPad. The Vizio D-Series has a whopping 65” picture, nearly 4k resolution and is one of the highest-rated TVs on the market — all for well under $1,000.$1,069.99 at Amazon.com

Quality Cookware

All-Clad

Cooking is many things — a way to feed yourself, a way to impress others and even a way to express yourself. While cheap nonstick pans are good enough for reheating leftovers and cooking scrambled eggs on Saturday mornings, high quality ingredients deserve the reliability and even-heating that only tri-ply stainless steel pans can provide. All-Clad is the undisputed leader in this category, so you should be investing in the best.$799.94 at Amazon.com

A Watch Upgrade

Citizen

Look at you, big guy! You finally scored the job you set your eyes on, and you have your shirt tucked in and people actually listen when you speak. The only problem? You’re pairing a Michael Kors suit with the watch you got when you graduated college. Time for an upgrade. The Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Navihawk GPS not only looks opulent as hell, but it has a built-in GPS (obviously) to keep you on time, no matter where you are in the world (yes, that means watches are just now catching up to cell phones).$1,395.00 at CitizenWatch.com

A Leather Jacket

Ted Baker London

A leather jacket is an investment that can literally last a lifetime if properly cared for, but a lot of men are hesitant to risk the money because it’s so, so very easy to go wrong with leather. And that’s a shame, because under all the tassels and faux-weathering is a material that’s durable, breathable, insulating all while being pretty sharp. The solution? Stick with a classic motorcycle jacket like this one from Ted Baker London, and you’ll never have to worry about going out of style.$474.90 at Nordstrom.com

Golf Clubs

Titleist

Maybe you’re a longtime student of the game. Maybe you’ve never set foot on the links. Either way, as a climbing professional, golf is going to find its way into your life one way or another. The relative isolation of the golf course makes it an excellent place for wheeling and dealing, yes, but it’s also a popular social activity for men because it includes elements of competition and athleticism without the need for getting all sweaty. With their cavity backs and perimeter weighting, the Titleist 716 AP1 irons offer plenty of forgiveness for beginning or infrequent players, while still retaining a classic look.$899.99 at Golfsmith.com

A Fitness Tracker

FitBit

Fitness trackers are a perfect example of something you might not need, but that you definitely want if you want to take your diet and exercise routine to the next level. We use data to inform just about every other aspect of our lives, so why should fitness be any different? The Fitbit Charge HR tracks your every move, from your heart rate to your calories burned, and it even monitors your sleep quality. Best of all, it sends easy-to-read reports straight to your smartphone.$199.95 at Fitbit.com

A Home Desk

IKEA

With all that technology has to offer in 2016, chances are you’ll find yourself with the opportunity to work from home on occasion. Whether the odd allowance or a regular part of your schedule, it’s vital to have a pro-grade setup for you to work effectively. That requires a powerful computing platform and reliable phone connection, yes, but the desk supporting all of it needs to be up to the task as well. This hidden gem from IKEA has an expansive 61” desktop with room for both a computer and printer, as well as features to help manage cords and cables.$279.00 at Ikea.com

Good Wine

Club W

At some point you learn that most wine does not, in fact, come in bags or boxes. That’s a start, but only a small step in the right direction, and as you accumulate both means and diversified interests, you’ll learn that the entire world of wine is both vast and immensely enjoyable. To learn and experience more about wine without lifting a finger, consider Club W. A wine club for the digital age, Club W ships you at least 3 bottles per month, selected based on your personalized palette preferences. It’s a great way to find and try new wines, and each bottle comes with a crib sheet so you sound like you know what you’re talking about.Find out more at ClubW.com

A Quality Razor

Tactile Trun

It’s not controversial to say that your face (along with the rest of you) isn’t getting any younger. Biology and time are partly to blame, but it’s also true that every time you run a super-sharp set of blades across your face, you’re doing your part to age yourself just a tiny bit more. That’s why you’d do well to invest in quality to minimize the damage. The Stainless Steel Parer by Tactile Turn offers superior balance and control with its substantial stainless steel handle, but also pairs with Gillette’s excellent Fusion blades, making cartridge replacement easy.$49.00 at TactileTurn.com

High-End Blender

Vitamix

To be fair, it’s entirely possible that you’ve never had to use a blender for anything, but we’re willing to bet that’s because you weren’t aware of what you could accomplish with a quality one. Smoothies are an excellent way to pack more fruits and veggies into your diet, and it takes a truly powerful machine process fibrous foods into liquids. Beyond that, you’ll find yourself using it for everything from silky smooth soups to frozen cocktails. They aren’t cheap, but Vitamix is the undisputed king when it comes to professional blending.$449.00 at Vitamix.com

A New Tablet

Microsoft

Starting in earnest with Apple’s iPad, tablet computers went from sounding like a silly indulgence to replacing laptops as everyone’s casual web browsing machine of choice. Today they’re so much more, with some tablets blurring the line between computer and handheld. Again, Apple people know who they are, but for those considering alternatives, the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is everything you’ll ever need in a tablet, and powerful enough if you need to get some actual work done in a pinch.$899.00 at MicrosoftStore.com

A Nice Blazer

Vineyard Vines

You probably don’t have to wear a suit to work every day, and that’s a good thing because wearing a suit every day is not nearly as fancy as it sounds. Life is full of opportunities to look at least a little better than the average guy, however, and doing so doesn’t get much easier than buying the right navy blazer — it pairs with practically everything. Look for something cut just a little bit fuller than your traditional suit jacket so people don’t confuse the two. The Hopsack Sport Coat, by Vineyard Vines, checks all the boxes.$398.65 at Nordstrom.com

Quality Workout Shoes

Nike

By now you should be well past the stage where your gym shoes are just “your shoes,” as in the only pair of non-dress shoes you own. That said, there’s no reason a pair of sneakers can’t look great outside the gym, provided the situation is right. You’ll definitely want shoes tailored to your specific kinds of workouts, but the Nike Free 4.0 is an excellent all-purpose shoe that offers a balance between freedom and cushion (and looks great, too).Find out more at Nike.com